Pulse delay arrangement

ABSTRACT

A pulse or signal delay arrangement in which a number of magnetizable elements are arranged about a rotating member or drum. The magnetizable elements are situated on the surface of the member or drum and form tracks or channels substantially parallel to each other. Through their magnetic state, the magnetizable elements serve as information storage or memory elements. Magnetic read-write heads are mounted in close proximity to the memory tracks, and are distributed about the surface of the drum in a predetermined pattern. Information is transmitted to and from the magnetizable memory element through the medium of magnetic pulses via the read-write heads. The magnetizable memory elements may be constructed integral with the memory member or drum, or may be of individual construction secured to the surface of the drum. When the memory elements are of separate or individual construction, the drum may be made of nonmagnetic material. The magnetizable memory elements may be made of a two-part construction or may be designed of a single part.

United States Patent [72] Inventors HansJoachim Stock Freiburg 1m Breisgau; Gernot Gottschall, Boeblingen, both of, Germany [21] Appl. No. 684,853 [22] Filed Nov. 21, 1967 [45] Patented June 1,1971 [73] Assignee Franz Mora! Gmbll Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany [54] PULSE DELAY ARRANGEMENT 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 340/l74.l, 333/30 [51] Int. Cl Gllb 5/48, G1 11) 27/ l 2 [50] Field of Search 340/174.l F, 174.1, 174.1 A; 179/1002 CF, 100.2 C, 100 REV; 346/74 MC; 333/30 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,239 6/1954 Daniels et a1. 340]] 74.1 2,718,603 9/1955 McLem 340/174.l 2,957,167 10/1960 Parrack 340/174.1 3,065,461 1 1/ 1962 Al'Ol'llS 340/1 74.1 3,172,096 3/ 1965 Peake 340/174.1 7 3,246,219 4/1966 Devoi et a1 340/1 74.1

l l l Primary ExaminerBemard Konick Assistant Examiner-Vincent P. Canney Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: A pulse or signal delay arrangement in which a number of magnetizable elements are arranged about a rotating member or drum. The magnetizable elements are situated on the surface of the member or drum and form tracks or channels substantially parallel to each other. Through their magnetic state, the magnetizable elements serve as information storage or memory elements. Magnetic read-write heads are mounted in close proximity to the memory tracks, and are distributed about the surface of the drum in a predetermined pattern. Information is transmitted to and from the magnetizable memory element through the medium of magnetic pulses via the read-write heads. The magnetizable memory elements may be constructed integral with the memory member or drum, or may be of individual construction secured to the surface of the drum. When the memory elements are of separate or individual construction, the drum may be made of nonmagnetic material. The magnetizable memory elements may be made of a two-part construction or may be designed of a single part.

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Man 5 m lb mt PULSE DELAY ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For the control of discrete processes, it is essential to store information between the time that the information is acquired and the time that it is processed. After the information has been processed, the storage facility must be capable of being cleared from the information that had been stored. The processing" of the information is to be understood to include the transmission of the information onto information carriers in the form of tape or film strip having, for example, openings or transparent markings. The latter are prearranged to provide proper timing and sequential control of particular processes to be regulated. The information processing is also to be understood to provide for direct control of the processes of a machine from the memory or storage tracks or channels of the memory facility.

Electrical arrangements of these species are known as delay or memory circuits. These circuits are built with transistors. When large storage capacities of several thousand stages or bits are required an equivalent number of transistors is necessary, and accordingly, a considerably complex arrangement is realized.

Magnetic tape storage is less of a complex arrangement. However, with a number of adjacently located information tracks of equal length, magnetic tapes find only limited application because they provide relatively low readout energy.

Discrete delay register rows cannot be applied precisely upon magnetic tape because of positioning difficulties and the possibility of thinning of the information carrier. Aside from this, such an arrangement also provides only relatively low readout energy.

When the delay register rows are designed in the form of a stepwise arrangement, it is to be understood that all or a predetermined number of information tracks are of different register lengths, as shown schematically in FIG. 1. At the same time, such an arrangement may provide for the condition that the information be readout in sequence from any predetermined number of tracks at a number of locations, as shown schematically in FIG. 2.

The present invention relates to a delay register wherein register rows are arranged in a stepwise manner as in the commonly known delay registers with transistors.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a delay register whose register rows are designed in a stepwise manner. It is also an object of the present invention that the delay register be made considerably simpler than the conventional one using transistors. The present invention also provides that the motion of the stepwise storage member or memory be such that it can operate satisfactorily in conjunction with a process requiring synchronization and specified phase conditions.

The objects of the present invention are achieved through a rotatable cylindrical member having a number of register tracks surrounding the surface of the member. The tracks are in the form of magnetizable projections which, in the case of a cylindrical member, forms circular tracks adjacent to each other. The magnetizable elements or tracks extend radially from the axis of rotation and serve as the information carrying memory or storage elements. These memory elements are provided in every track about the entire circumference of the rotatable member or drum. The separation between the read and/or write locations may vary, for a desired stepwise arrangement, for all or a predetermined number of tracks.

The advantage of the delay register, in accordance with the present invention, is that relatively high mechanical precision due to noise effects. Every information carrier can be advantageously constructed of two adjacently located elements. These adjacent elements are magnetized of opposite polarity with respect to each other. Under such conditions, every register consists of a double track. The magnetizable elements can also be mounted upon a drum made of nonmagnetizable material. The mounting of these magnetizable elements in such a case can be accomplished, for example, by an adhesive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pulse delay arrangement having a drum rotatable about a central axis of symmetry passing through the drum. A plurality of magnetizable memory elements are arranged on the surface of the rotating drum and adjacent to each other in sequence. The magnetizable memory elements encompass the surface of the drum and form a'plurality of discrete register tracks for storing information in magnetic form.

A plurality of magnetic read-write heads are in close proximity with a predetermined number of the memory elements, and are spaced from each other. When the read-write heads function as read heads they transmit magnetic pulse signals to the memory elements. When, on the other hand, read-write heads function aswrite heads, they receive magnetic pulse signals from the memory elements.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic representations of the register lengths, of the present invention, when arranged in a stepwise manner, when developed on a flat surface;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an embodiment in which the memory element, of the present invention, are constructed in the form of two parts;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an embodiment, of the present invention, in which the memory elements are made of a single part;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view and shows the embodiment in which the magnetizable memory elements, in accordance with the present invention, are secured to a nonmagnetizable rotatable member; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric elevational view and shows the geometrical design and relationships of the various embodiments of the shift and delay registers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing, the memory member 3 is rotatable about the axis X-X, as shown in FIG. 3. The memory elements la and 1b are arranged adjacent to each other and are repeated around the entire surface of the memory member 3 in the form of double tracks or channels as shown in FIG. 6. At least oneelectromagnetic read-write head 2 is associated with each double track.

In relation to the angular rotation of the memory member 3, a read-write head will transmit or record magnetic pulses when it functions as a write head 20 or 21 to 29. The readwrite head, on the otherhand, will receive magnetic pulses under predetermined conditions when functioning as a read head 30 or 40 to 49. When functioning in the form of a read head, the magnetic pulses received by the latter are transmitted to connecting circuitry 'for further processing. The direction of the arrow associated with the read-write head indicates which function it performs. When the arrow isdirected toward the axis of drum.3, it functions asa write head. When, on the other hand, the arrow is directed'away from the axisofthe drum the'read-write head functions as a read head.

A write head 20 and a plurality of read heads 30, 31 and 32 may be provided for each register, as shown in FIG. 2 for a track 60. The direction of motion of the elements 4 with respect to the heads is shown by the arrow 51. It is not essential that the write head be constructed identically with the read head. The latter is advantageously designed in the form of a flux sensitive static magnetic read head.

FIGS. 1 and 6 show 10 tracks I to X, moving in the direction of arrow 51. Tracks I, II and X are shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 of this array of 10 tracks. The register length of track I, has, for example, 100 steps or increments from write head 20 to read head 40. The register length of track I! has, on the other hand, 90 increments from write head 21 to read head 41. Every next track possesses increments less, and accordingly, the track has 10 increments from write head 29 to read head 49. The write head 20,21 to 29 are arranged in a stepwise relationship to each other. The write heads 40, 41 to 49 lie along a line on the surface of rotational cylindrical memory members 3 or 6 and parallel to the axis X-X.

The magnetizable elements 1a and lb are of integral construction with the rotational member or memory member 3. The elements 1a and 1b are of rectangular cross section for the purpose of providing a simplified design.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 3 through the design in which the memory elements 4 are of one-piece construction. They are, however, also of integral design with the rotational memory member 3. Thus, the latter, rotating about the axis X-X is of single-piece construction with the memory elements. The read-write head 5 is in the form of a bar-shaped electromagnet. Depending upon whether the latter functions as a write or read head, pulses are transmitted from the head onto the memory elements, or received by the head for conducting to associated circuitry for further processing. FIGS. 1 and 2 show, in part, the rectangular memory elements 4 in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a memory member 6, rotational about an axis X-)(, when not constructed of magnetic material.- The elements 7, however, are of magnetic material and are secured to the member 6. Information is transmitted to these magnetic elements by a U-shaped electromagnet 8, similar to the arrangement of FIG. 3. The electromagnet 8 functions as a write head or 21 to 29, and as a read head 30, 31, 32m 40, 41 to 49.

FIG. 3 shows both elements 1a and lb of a track, and adjacent to that, an element 1b and la of parallel arranged neighboring tracks.

FIG. 4 shows four memory elements 4 of four neighboring tracks and 5 shows three memory elements 7 of three neighboring tracks.

In FIG. 6 the track corresponds to the arrangement of FIG. 3, whereas the track 4a corresponds to the arrangement of FIG. 4. Similarly, track 5a is in accordance with the construction of FIG. 5. The same applies to the associated magnets 2, 5, and 8, as well as the storage elements 10, 1b, 4 and 7. The storage elements la and 1b may be obtained by milling slots or grooves into the cylindrical surface of the drum, and then subdividing them. The storage elements, on the other hand, can also be formed through a crimping arrangement in which a rotating tool forms a slot under pressure, and the slots are then further subdivided to milling operations.

Erasing heads 70, 71 to 80 are provided for the purpose of erasing the information that may have been recorded upon storage elements on the surface of the magnetic drum. Similar to the arrangement used in the erasing heads on magnetic tape, an alternating current signal of high frequency causes an oscillating magnetic field within the erasing head. To erase the information, it is essential that an oscillating magnetic field of decreasing amplitude be applied. This situation is realized by the effect of the rotating drum which moves the storage element past the erasing head and then away from it. By thus increasing the distance between the storage element whose information is to be erased, and the erasing head through the rotating action of the drum 3, a decrease in the oscillating amplitude is realized as a function of time. The information recorded on any storage element of a track, therefore, becomes automatically erased as it passes by the respective erasing head. The erasing heads are shown in the drawing in FIG. 6 by including a double sinusoidal portion to designate the alternating current signal.

In the embodiments described, the read-write-erasing heads have been considered stationary while the drum 3 or 6 has been designated as rotating about the axis X-X. The same relationships between the storage elements upon the surface of the drum and the read-write-erasing heads can, of course, be realized if the drum were held stationary and the heads were made movable about the surface of the drum.

The present invention is adapted to the control of production processes in which controlling signals in the form of pulses are required with proper relative timing and in accordance with a predetermined sequence. The signals are transmitted in the form of pulses which can be designated as signals of l and 0, whereby the presence of a signal is denoted by l and the absence of a signal is denoted by 0. Through constant rotation of the drum 3 about the axis X-X, the present invention may function as a clock for generating timing signals to be further processed by computers or automatic control circuits for production processes. Thus, the drum may be a source of regular timing pulses occurring at specific intervals from each other and thereby regulate the sequence and functions of a digital computer. Each signal may be used to move a process or shift a computer operation one step further for the purpose of achieving the final result. It is also quite possible to construct such timing or delay arrangements through relays, tubes, diode matrices, transistors, or with ferrite cores and transistors.

Referring in particular to FIG. 6, the drum 3 rotates about the axis X-X in the direction shown by the arrow 51. The drum is made of ferromagnetic material and has, upon its cylindrical surface, 10 tracks I-X, each having 120 storage elements 4. The latter are of one-piece construction and integral with the drum 3.

The tracks I, II and X, each with 120 storage elements are shown only in the drawing of which only the one-half of the tracks of the drum are visible. The rotation of the drum is accomplished through a driving mechanism, not shown, so that a clock pulse may be generated for every 1 120 rotation of the drum. A write head 20 is located in close proximity to the track I, and is held stationary in position through a mounting arrangement, not shown. A read-head 40 is also located about this same track but displaced /120 of the circumference of the drum in the direction of rotation. At the same time, an erasing head 70 is also located lO/l20 of the circumference and displaced from the read head in the direction of rotation of the drum. About the circumference of the track I] is a write head 21 which is displaced from the write head 20 by 10/120 of the drums circumference when taken in the direction of rotation. The read head 41 is displaced from the write head 21 by 90/ l20 of the drums circumference in the direction of rotation. In this manner, the read heads 40 and 41 of the tracks I and II become colinear as shown in the drawing. They are thus located along the same line parallel to the axis of the drum. An erasing head 71 is also displaced by lO/ of a revolution from the read head 41, and is therefore also located directly beneath the erasing head 70 and is in line therewith along a surface element parallel to the axis of the drum.

The write heads 22 to 28 of tracks I to IX are similarly each displaced 10/120 of a revolution from each other, and as a result the read heads 42 to 48 are all located one below the other along a line parallel to the axis of the drum. The same applies to the erasing heads 72 to 78 which are also located all along a line on the surface of the drum parallel to its axis X-X.

In track X, therefore, the write head 29 is displaced from the write head 20 of track I, and is at the same time located 10/ 120 of a revolution from the read head 49 in the direction of rotation. The read head 49 is directly along the same line as the read heads 40 to 48. Similarly, the erasing head 79 is displaced l0/l20 of a revolution from the read head 49, as in the other tracks. Each of the tracks I to X and its associated magnetic heads, comprises one delay register, and each such delay register is shifted by intervals or increments from the other.

When the write head receives at a particular instant a signal (numeral 1) in the form of a current pulse, then the magnetic storage element 4 directly opposite the write head in track 1 becomes magnetized. After 100 intervals the drum 3 has rotated 100/I20 of a revolution in the direction of the arrow 51, and as a result the magnetized storage element is located directly in line with the read head 40. A signal is thereby induced in the read head 4!) in the form of a pulse which may then be transmitted for further use and processing. After 10 further intervals, the storage element then reaches the erasing head 70 which then erases the information upon the storage element. in this manner, only unmagnetized storage elements reach the location of the write head 20 which is displaced 10 intervals further. in the meantime the writing head 20 has or has not magnetized each storage element at every interval of rotation of track I, depending upon whether a current pulse was or was not transmitted to the write head. All of the signals representing magnetized and unmagnetized states of the storage elements on track I are then transmitted in the same sequence and time intervals from the read head 40, with the exception that they are delayed by 100 intervals. This same process is repeated for track ll. On this track, however, a storage element processed by writing head 21 becomes located underneath the read head 41 only 90 intervals of rotation rather than the 100 intervals associated with track I. In this manner, all of the signals recorded on track [1 are delayed by 90 time intervals. All other aspects remain the same with regard to the comparison between tracks l and ll.

Finally, the delay associated with track X is only 10 time intervals since the write head 29 is displaced from the read head 49 by only ten 10} 120 of a revolution. Since the erasing head 79 is further displaced from read head 49 by l0/l20 of a revolution, 100 of the 120 storage elements on track X are always free of any signals.

The track 60 in FIG. 6 corresponds to the embodiment described with the arrangement of FIG. 2. When the write head 20 receives a current pulse (1 at a particular instance of time, then the storage or memory element 4 directly beneath the write head becomes magnetized. After 10 intervals or 10 increments, the drum 3 has rotated l0/l20 of a revolution in the direction of the arrow 51 and as a result the magnetized storage element is located beneath the first read head 30.. The latter is displaced from the write head 20 by 10/120 of a revolution taken in the direction of rotation of the drum 3. The read head 30 thus provides an electrical pulse which is delayed by 10 time intervals or clock intervals from the original signal. After 10 further time intervals, the particular storage element in question, is directly beneath the second read head 31 which is displaced from the write head 20 by 20/120 of a revolution in the direction of rotation of the drum 3. As a result the read head 31 provided an electrical pulse signal which is delayed by 20 time intervals or clock signals from the original signal recorded by the write head 20. After 10 more time intervals, the storage element in question appears beneath the third read head 32 which is displaced from the write head 20 by the amount of 30/120 of a revolution taken in the direction of rotation of the drum 3. Accordingly, the read head 32 provides a signal in the form of an electrical pulse which is delayed 30 time intervals from the original signal recorded onto the storage element. Upon the elapse of 80 additional time intervals, the particular storage element being considered arrives beneath the erasing head 80 which erases the magnetized signal of this particular storage element as well as all following storage elements. In this manner only unmagnetized storage elements appear beneath the write head 20 after 10 additional time intervals. in the meantime and during the operation of the drum, the write head 20 has or has not magnetized each storage element appearing underneath it on track 60, depending upon whether it has received a signal (I) for magnetization or no signal (0) in which case the storage element does not become magnetized. All of these signals representing magnetized or demagnetized states of the storage element in question, on track 60 are transmitted in the same sequence from read head 30 with a delay of 10 time intervals. Similarly, the signals emitted by read head 31 are delayed by 20 time intervals whereas the read head 32 provided signals delayed by 30 time intervals.

in the configurations of H05. 1 and 6, it is possible to realize the very same results by reversing the locations of the read and write heads relative to each other. Thus, the write heads may all be mad colinear where they lie directly one beneath the other along a line parallel to the axis of the drum, and the read heads, on the other hand, are staggered from each other by 10 intervals. At the same time, it is possible to use that portion of the track or register which is not in use. For example, in track X /120 of a revolution is not is use and all of the storage elements passing through this amount of rotation are without signals recorded upon them. As a result, this amount of the track is available for an additional register of smaller delay values. If, now, the available spaces of the tracks are used for additional delay registers, it is possible to incur considerably savings in the number of tracks that are required as well as the length of the rotating drum. Thus, the delay register IV may be insertedin track X, since the former has only 70 intervals-With the erasing head taken into account, the register- 4 would then still be separated by 10 intervals from both ends of the delay register X. if this procedure is followed then the delay. registers l--X can be incorporated into six tracks upon the drum, with each track having storage elements.

The magnetic mechanical arrangement in accordance with the preset invention has the particular advantage that when all power to the arrangement for operation thereof is turned off, all information which was recorded upon the storage elements on this drum are retained. This is notthe case with tubes or diodes or transistors in which the information is immediately destroyed or lost when such power is turned off. Only, in the case of transistors operating in conjunction with magnetic cores can such information be retained when operating power is discontinued.

it will be understood. that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of shift registers differing from the types described above.

While the inventionhas been illustrated and described as. embodied in shift registers, it is not intended to be limitedto the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and,-therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What we claim as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. An electromagneticdelay arrangement for selectively delaying a plurality of electrical signals comprising, in combination, a cylinder rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof; a plurality of discrete magnetizable memory elements arranged in endless parallel memory tracks perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said memory elements being uniformly spaced along said tracks'and about the surface of said;

cylinder; a plurality of write heads each in close proximity to one of said tracks on saidsurface of said cylinder for selectivebetween saidwrite head and said surface of said cylinder; and.

a plurality of read heads each in close proximity to one of said tracks on said surface of said cylinder for reading out information signals stored in said memory elements, said read heads being spaced from the respective write heads by different predetermined amounts in the direction of rotation of said cylinder, so that upon rotation of said cylinder signals entered simultaneously into said memory elements by said write heads appear at the outputs of said read heads after time intervals dependent upon the rotational speed of said cylinder and the spacing of said read heads from said respective write heads.

2. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said magnetizable memory elements is of two parts, each part being oppositely magnetized in relation to the other part.

3. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said magnetizable memory elements in a sin- 0 netic heads.

7. The electromagnetic delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 including an erase head behind said read heads and in front of said write heads in direction of rotation of said cylinder. 

1. An electromagnetic delay arrangement for selectively delaying a plurality of electrical signals comprising, in combination, a cylinder rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof; a plurality of discrete magnetizable memory elements arranged in endless parallel memory tracks perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said memory elements being uniformly spaced along said tracks and about the surface of said cylinder; a plurality of write heads each in close proximity to one of said tracks on said surface of said cylinder for selectively magnetizing a predetermined one of said elements, said elements passing by said write head through relative motion between said write head and said surface of said cylinder; and a plurality of read heads each in close proximity to one of said tracks on said surface of said cylinder for reading out information signals stored in said memory elements, said read heads being spaced from the respective write heads by different predetermined amounts in the direction of rotation of said cylinder, so that upon rotation of said cylinder signals entered simultaneouSly into said memory elements by said write heads appear at the outputs of said read heads after time intervals dependent upon the rotational speed of said cylinder and the spacing of said read heads from said respective write heads.
 2. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said magnetizable memory elements is of two parts, each part being oppositely magnetized in relation to the other part.
 3. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said magnetizable memory elements in a single part.
 4. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said cylinder and said magnetizable memory elements are of integral one-piece construction.
 5. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said cylinder is of nonmagnetizable material secured to said magnetizable memory elements.
 6. The signal delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said read-write heads are flux sensitive static magnetic heads.
 7. The electromagnetic delay arrangement as defined in claim 1 including an erase head behind said read heads and in front of said write heads in direction of rotation of said cylinder. 